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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Pan Seared Sea Bass with Tarragon Pesto & Chickpea Puree

The heat wave continues! Another nearly ninety degree day. Why did I choose to live in a house without central A/C again? This morning I spirited The Adorable Monster off to the dog park before it got too hot, where we decamped in the shade. Of all the dogs in the giant dog park, who do you think he decided to hump? A giant, black Newfoundland - pretty much the hugest dog in the whole park. Thankfully, the Newfie was also the sweetest dog, and he playfully pushed the Monster off, at which point, he rolled on his back in total surrender while the Newfie licked his face. Total cuteness!

So today I'm sharing another recipe - this one is a light, summery fish dish. I pan seared Sea Bass and served it over a delicate chickpea puree, topping it off with a tarragon pesto. I love to pair tarragon with seafood and this is a nice twist on the traditional basil pesto. This dish is a snap to make, impressive enough to serve to company and absolutely delicious!

To make the pesto, combine the ingredients into a small food processor or blender, grinding it up until it forms a nice paste. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

To make the chickpeas, add the olive oil and chickpeas into the food processor or a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. A little water or chicken broth may be added as needed to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the sea bass, season the fillets on either side with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add the fish, cooking for a few minutes on each side, until cooked through. Remove from the pan.

To plate, spread some of the chickpea puree on the bottom of a plate. Top with the fish. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over it. Spoon some of the tarragon pesto on top of the fish. Enjoy!